1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to slidably and rotationally attaching units and electronic devices, and more specifically, to a slidably and rotationally attaching unit so that a movable housing is slidably and rotatably attached to a supporting base whereby a part of the movable housing overlaps with the supporting base, and an electronic device using the slidably and rotationally attaching unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electronic devices such as a mobile phone, an electronic organizer, or a personal computer, a thin type display housing having a display part has a configuration where the shorter side is at the top (for example, the mobile phone) or a configuration where the longer side is at the top (for example, a notebook personal computer). Accordingly, if the display housing is fixed with its shorter side at the top or with its longer side at the top, there is inconvenience when an operator sees a display screen or performs an input operation while seeing the display screen. In other words, at the time when the operator performs the input operation such as forming documents or tables and the operator sees the result of the input operation and an image on the display screen, depending on kinds of the input operations or display subjects, there is a case where a screen having a configuration where the shorter side is at the top is suitable or a case where a screen having a configuration where the longer side is at the top is suitable.
Accordingly, in the above-mentioned electronic device, the display housing is movable and may be rotated 90 degrees if necessary so that the display housing can be converted from having its shorter side at the top to having its longer side is at the top, and vice versa.
In the above-mentioned electronic device, a supporting base is rotatably provided at an end part of a base housing having an input part by a hinge. Alternatively, a desktop supporting base is provided separately from the input part or a personal computer main body. A part of the movable housing which is an input part is provided at the supporting base so as to be overlapped with the supporting base via a slidably and rotational attaching unit.
The following structure, for example, has been suggested as the attaching unit in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 8-63259. That is, an information device having a supporting base, a base plate provided at one side of a facing surface of a movable housing, and a movable plate provided at another side of the facing surface, is provided. A first guide groove and a second guide groove are formed in the base plate. The first guide groove is formed along upper and lower directions in a standard pose that is a basic use state (using state of a basic mode) of the movable housing. The second guide groove is formed along a horizontal direction under the first guide groove or curved slightly upward in a convex manner. A first projection guided to the first guide groove and a second projection guided to the second guide groove are formed in the movable plate. The first projection and the second projection are slidably guided to the corresponding guide grooves in a coming-off prevention state.
According to the above-mentioned electronic device, for example, when the second projection is situated at a left end part of the second guide groove and the movable housing is in a standard pose, namely a state where the movable housing is set with its longer side at the top, the second projection moves on the right along the second guide groove and the first projection moves upward along the first guide groove, by moving a left end lower part of the movable housing on the right. When the second projection reaches the middle point of the second guide groove, the movable housing is in a 45 degrees inclination pose in the middle position and the first projection reaches a maximum level.
After that, when the pose of the movable housing is changed so that the second projection further moves along the second guide groove in the right direction, the pose of the movable housing gradually changes so that the movable housing stands and the shorter side of the movable housing is at the top. When the second projection reaches the right end part of the second guide, the movable housing completely stands with the shorter side of the movable housing at the top.
The electronic device has switches configured to switch a display mode of the display part of the movable housing corresponding to poses of the movable housing at the same time when change of the pose of the movable housing is completed from the shorter side being at the top to the longer side being at the top, and vice versa.
The slidable and rotational attaching unit of the electronic housing has a curved configuration where the second guide groove is in a horizontal direction or bent in a mountain manner. Accordingly, the rotational operations of the movable housing are not smooth and the movable housing can be rotated 90 degrees in only a single direction.
For example, in folding type mobile phones and others, a rotational operation of the movable housing having the display part is done by the thumb of a hand of an operator while a base housing having a microphone part is held by the hand. However, the dominant hand differs by person. Hence, although it is preferable that the movable housing can be rotated in both right and left directions, it is not possible to make such a design in the conventional attaching unit.
In addition, if the movable housing can be rotated in only a single direction, the rotational direction should be indicated in a proper portion. If the rotational operation is done in a reverse direction in error, malfunction of or damage to the attaching unit may be generated.
Thus, the present invention seeks improvements such as smooth operation and degree of freedom in the design of the movable housing of the slidable and rotational attaching unit.